Back to School: Product Review: Rubbermaid® LunchBLOX™

I was thrilled when I learned I was selected to review the Rubbermaid® LunchBLOX™ container. I received the sandwich kit. This includes:

• 1 sandwich container
• 1 side container
• 2 snack containers
• 1 Medium Blue Ice™

Also included in my kit was a coupon book for $5.00 off on a variety of lunch brands.

These handy kits are BPA-free, and are microwave, disherwasher and freezer safe. One of the nicest features of this product is that the containers stack together to keep them compact, like I have them below. You can't see the side container, but it is on the opposite side of the two snack containers in the picture below. The Blue Ice is between the sandwich container and the others, so it keeps everything cold. This is a good setup, so you don't have to worry about items like salad dressing spilling all over your lunch bag.

As you can see by the pictures, the Rubbermaid LunchBLOX sandwich container is large enough to fit more than just sandwich size sliced bread. I was able to pack a picnic lunch and take it to the park with me to read one day. The Rubbermaid LunchBLOX helps control portion size, and therefore, I am eating more of what's right and in the correct amounts. This makes packing a simple, healthy lunch easy, and it stays cold.

I'll be using my Rubbermaid LunchBLOX a good deal this year. It's an affordable and smart way to pack lunch on the go.


Also available, LunchBLOX™ Lunch Bags, which are designed to work with the LunchBlox containers to make packing your lunch a breeze.


I received a free LunchBlox Sandwich Kit from Rubbermaid in exchange for my honest opinions. I was not compensated in any way for this review.

WSJ Wednesdays - Leftovers

All my thoughts about self-sufficiency and reducing waste drew me to this article about leftovers in the Wednesday, March 21, 2012 edition of The Wall Street Journal. According to journalist, Sarah Nassauer, high food prices cause guilt over throwing food away, but making the leftovers disappear can be a challenge.

Based upon researchers' estimates, the average American family of four spends $500 to $2000 on food they never eat. Wow! That surprised me; though it shouldn't when I consider some of the left over food I've tossed.

Produce was always a big money waster for us. Even though I toss old fruits and vegetables in the compost bin, I still feel it's a waste of money to buy produce and never eat it. I've tried freezing berries, but my husband tends not to like the texture once they are defrosted. Mentioned in the article is Rubbermaid’s® Produce Saver--which we use at home. It's said to keep, "fruits and vegetables fresh and crisp for up to 33% longer." I would definitely recommend it.

Nassauer's article states that Brian Wansink, professor of marketing at Cornell University's Charles H. Dyson School of Applied Economics and Management claims when you shop without a well-researched grocery list, shoppers overbuy. I can't shop without my list, but I have to admit, I often buy things not on the list. Shoppers buying in bulk can also create waste. According to a 2009 report from the Waste & Resources Action Programme in the U.K., just over half of avoidable food and drink waste happens as a result of products not being used in time. The article states that in America, confusion over "sell-by" dates and concern over food-borne illness also leads to waste.

What I like about this article is that it provides tips on how to deal with leftovers and also explains what food dates mean.

The other thing that brought this topic to mind is the Nickleback song, "When We Stand Together." It truly puts our waste in perspective:

"When we could feed a starving world,
With what we throw away.
But all we serve are empty words,
That always taste the same."

I'm usually the leftover eater at our house; and thankfully, I love cooking, so if we eat out three times a month, that's a lot for us.

How do you handle leftovers? Do you have any tips to share?

Are You Prepared in Case of a Disaster?

Photo credit 22 News WWLP.com

When the tornado struck Western Massachusetts leaving 4 dead and dozens injured, I realized how dismally unprepared our family was to cope with a disaster. As I mentioned in this post from June 9th - http://booktoursandmore.blogspot.com/2011/06/counting-our-blessings.html - I couldn't even find batteries to work the main radios in the house. I had to settle for a hand-held radio that was powered by two AA-battery to keep me connected to the outside world.

Perhaps part of the issue is that up until recently, natural disasters haven't caused a great deal of problems in our area. While 152 twisters were recorded in Massachusetts between 1951 and 2008, according to this article in The Christian Science Monitor, the most severe occurred in 1953. It's been a while since our area saw this type of destruction. This follows a dreadful winter filled with record-breaking snowfall that caused some school districts--including ours--to sacrifice days from their April vacation in order to avoid attending school through the end of June or into July.

FEMA has an online guide titled Are You Ready?: An In-depth Guide to Citizen Preparedness. You can find it at http://www.fema.gov/areyouready/

One of the things it mentions is assembling a Disaster Supplies Kit for home, work, and your car. As part of this move toward being better prepared, I ordered a review sample from Daily Bread. They offer 25-year worry-free food storage. According to the brochure I received with my Beef Stew sample, their gourmet entrees are made with real meats and vegetables and can be prepared with very little water. No cooking is involved.

Since we went on vacation right after our sample arrived, I haven't prepared it yet, but I plan to soon. I'll come back with additional comments after that. While purchasing food this way is definitely an investment, the peace of mind it offers can be worth it. I have to admit I didn't like feeling very helpless that afternoon as we lost all power and even cell phone service was sporadic at best. This is the year our family becomes better prepared to cope with natural disasters.